From the Workhouse to a Thief
by BlackCatDahlia
Summary: A young girl runs away from her life in the workhouse to London, where she meets the Artful Dodger where together they share problems, adventures and posibly love.
1. Welcome to the Family

I followed the tall man threw the streets. Maybe I would get lucky and snatch his wallet. I reached out my hand hoping I would get caught. But he just turned around and grabbed my wrist. I tried to pry my hand away and run, but he just held tight.

"What are you lookin' for down there little Miss?"

"I-I was jus" He struck my face and threw me into an alley way. I looked up at the man trembling a bit.

"Best not let me catch you pickin' pockets again or I'll turn you into the police myself." I nodded and he walked away. As I sat there I knew I needed to pull myself together. I had been out of the workhouse for not even a day now and I felt completely lost. I was defiantly not used to life I the big cities. I knew there would be only one thing I could do to survive and that was stealing. I wasn't very good at it, much too nervous I suppose. I took a few deep breaths and looked to see a boy at the other side of the alley.

He was wearing a stove-pipe hat and an over coat that was to big for him. As he walked by me he slowed down watching me. I looked to the floor knowing he was judging me. He soon walked past me I sighed a bit and he stopped and turned back around. I tried to ignore his presence looking to the floor or at a wall but after a minute I couldn't help but acknowledge his presence. I looked up to see him.

"Excuse me." I started trying to be polite. "Sir?" "Is there something I can help you with?" I began to fidget a little looking up at him. He raised an eyebrow and said.

"'Sir' you don't 'ave to call me that ma'am." He extended his hand to me. I looked at him questionably and gingerly placed my hand in his. In one tug he pulled me up on to my feet. He smiled a bit and tipped his hat to me. "Jack Dawkins at you're service." I curtsied to him.

"Tracey, Tracey Lynch."

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Lynch," I smiled kindly at him and blushed a bit. This was on of the first times I had spoken to a boy. I felt lucky because he was so handsome. I blushed even more at my thoughts.

"No the pleasures all mine, Mr. Dawkins." He began to laugh at me. I bowed my head in shame. I turned and began to walk away. He caught my arm I turned looked back at him. He pulled me back over to him.

"Come on then, let's go." He linked his arm with me and began to walk me through the streets. "You 'ave no where to live I pre-sume?" I nodded frowning a bit. "What'd you run away from the work'ouse?" I nodded again. I looked up at him desperately.

"Please don't turn me in Mr. Dawkins. I'd do absolutely anything not to go back to that horrible place." He smiled at me.

"Don't worry about it Trace. I won't turn you in. Jus' keep followin' me." I did as he had told me to. Jack would occasionally look back at me to make sure I was alright that he hadn't lost me in the crowd or something. After about 15 minutes of walking through the crowded streets of London we headed up some steps. I knew we were at our final destination. He whistled and the door was unlocked. He opened the door pulling me behind him. As we began to walk someone stopped us.

"'Ey Dodge!" Jack stopped walking and so did I. I turned to see a boy not much younger then me. I assumed he was the one who opened the door. He looked sternly at me. "Who the 'ell is she?" Jack turned around and said.

"Her names Tracey. Is Fagin in?" He asked. The boy nodded.

"He's in the dinning room." Jack took my hand and led me to a room. I walked in behind him and saw an old man.

"'Ey Fagin!" Jack yelled the old man turned to face us.

"What is it?!" The old man, who I assumed was Fagin, yelled back. He looked at me closely. "Who's this Dodge?" I gasped realizing how rude I must've seemed. I curtsied to him.

"Tracey Lynch, Sir." Fagin began to laugh and Jack pulled me up. I looked at him my eyes asking him why he did that.

"No need to show any respect to the likes of him." After he said that to me he turned his focus back to Fagin. "Any ways, Tracey 'ere is a new 'friend' of mine." Jack suddenly pushed me in front of him. I looked back at him then to Fagin who was nodding. Fagin pointed to a chair.

"Sit down, sit down, my dear." I sat at the table as Jack began to walk to the fire place where there was a few sausages cooking. "Tell me where did you come from?" I looked at him.

"The workhouse that's located 70 miles from here. I walked the whole way."

"Ohh you poor, poor dear. Have you any where to stay? Any relatives? Any family friends? Any work?" I shook my head.

"No, none of that. I'm an orphan."

"Then you're in the right place Tracey, my dear. You see Dodger here's also an orphan. In fact all the boys in this house are orphans. Your welcome to stay wiv' us." I couldn't help but smile.

"You mean it?"

"Of course I do." Jack sat next to me as he placed a plate with sausage on it and a cup filled with some liquor in front of me.

"Welcome to the family." Jack said. I immediately devoured my sausage and took a sip of the liquor.

"Thanks Jack…You two Fagin."

"Please, Tracey everyone calls me the Artful Dodger." I drank a bit more and began to feel a little dizzy.

"'Artful Dodger'?" I questioned my word slurring a bit. He nodded

"Yes well you can call me 'Dodge' or 'Dodger' for short."

"Yes Dodger here is the best thief I have. You should really make him your mentor. You can learn a lot from him." I finished my drink and fainted. Luckily Jack was right behind me and caught me. He dragged me to the couch where I spent the night.


	2. A Not So Friendly Visit

I apologize for making everyone wait so long for the next chapter of this I'll try to post it more frequently now. I'd been busy with the show and everything. Well enough of my rambling back to the story.

-Recap-

"Welcome to the family." Jack said. I immediately devoured my sausage and took a sip of the liquor.

"Thanks Jack…You two Fagin."

"Please, Tracey everyone calls me the Artful Dodger." I drank a bit more and began to feel a little dizzy.

"'Artful Dodger'?" I questioned my word slurring a bit. He nodded

"Yes well you can call me 'Dodge' or 'Dodger' for short."

"Yes Dodger here is the best thief I have. You should really make him your mentor. You can learn a lot from him." I finished my drink and fainted. Luckily Jack was right behind me and caught me. He dragged me to the couch where I spent the night.

Chapter 2: A Not So Friendly Visit

I sat up the next morning with my head pounding. I squinted my eyes shut sensitive to the light outside and stretched. When I got used to the brightness of the room I looked around and saw the house was completely empty. I stood up and walked into the other room.

"Good morning." I heard. I jumped up and turned around to see Fagin. I placed my hand on my chest calming myself down.

"Good morning, Sir." I said. He laughed and sat at the table.

"I suppose you don't take to liquor to well then, ehh Tracey my dear." I sat down across from him and looked to the floor embarrassed.

"I suppose not…" I nibbled at the extra slice of bread on the table a bit uncomfortable by the old man watching me. I felt so foolish passing out like I had yesterday. I hated that I had burdened Jack and Fagin. When I was finished eating I sat still looking at the ground until Fagin broke the long silence.

"Why don't you go in the other room and 'ave yourself a wash." He said looking at me. My eyes lit up by the idea.

"Really you'll let me have a Wash.!" I was ecstatic by the fact of this. Back in the workhouse I only had gotten a wash once when I was 5. And I wasn't planning on having my next on for another 6 years.

"Course I will. No jus' go and 'ave a nice long wash. You surely can use it." He said pushing me into the wash room. I shut the door behind me and got undressed. I filled a basin up with water and took a nice long wash. Using the time to reflect on what had happened the past few days. Like how I ran away from my workhouse when my friend starve to death. Or the countless times on my way to London I had almost been ran over by a carriage. I was so tired and hungry yesterday. When I was running in the countryside all I could eat was the berries or roots I found. And since I was on the run there was hardly anytime to stop and rest I was completely worn out when I tried to steal from the man yesterday. I was so thankful when Dodger took me to this house and accepted me. And today Fagin was letting me have a wash.

I felt so nice and clean and relaxed. I sighed and her the front door open and people trudge into the room outside. I quickly pulled the top of my dress back on and heard Jack yell.

"'Ey Fagin where's the gurl run off to?"

"She's jus' 'avin' a nice wash." I heard someone bang on the door.

"'Ey Tracey! You decent?!" He asked I rushed to do the Back of my dress up.

"Ehh good enough!" I yelled. He opened the door. "Could you….." I said turning my back to him. He laced it up for me. "Thank you…" I said shyly

"Not a problem." He said smiling a bit. "Come on I'll take you out and show you our trade for a bit." He said leading my out into the streets. I followed him close behind. He reached into an old mans coat pocket and pulled out his wallet. We walked a few Yards away fro the man "that."

We spent a few more hours out. Dodger was teaching me all different techniques in stealing and spotting good victims.

"You certainly are talented Jack." I stopped and corrected myself. "I mean Dodger. Its no wonder you 'ave a nickname like that." I said walking up the stairs to Fagin's den with him.

"You know if you want…I'll let you call me Jack."

"Really." I said stopping at the doorway with him.

"Yeah jus' not around the other boys. They'd never let me forget that I'm lettin' a gurl call me my real name…" I blushed and opened the door. Once I walked in I jumped upon seeing a tall Broad shouldered man. He didn't look to friendly.

"That the new kid." He grunted.

"Yeah, that's Tracey. Ain't she a pretty thing Bill?" He asked the man.

"Trace why don' we jus' go in the other room and leave 'em alone."

"No stay." He growled. "It'd be a shame not to get to know 'Trace'". I narrowed my eyes getting annoyed with him but sat across from him. "So you're from a work'ouse then?" He asked.

"Yes sir."

"What'd your parent's die of?"

"They didn't die. They jus' left me at the church and left." He snorted a bit and looked at me still.

"You wish you died where they left you?" He asked bitterly.

"Tracey's tired. Come on lets go to bed." Dodger said pulling me up. When we walked into the other room.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"Anytime." He said. I laid down on the couch thinking'

'_Maybe this wouldn't all be as pleasant as I thought."_


End file.
